In growing Phalaenopsis and Anthurium, good hygiene is very important to prevent the threat of the bacteria Acidovorax (Pseudomonas), Erwinia and the fungus Fusarium. These three diseases are responsible for 90% of the fall out. For the cultivation of Anthurium these threats are the bacteria Xanthomonas and Ralstonia solanacearum.
People
In the greenhouse people are the biggest spreaders of fungi and bacteria. With clothes, shoes and hands many pathogens are removed unnoticed from the greenhouse and distributed. This can be restricted as much as possible by putting on clean (over) shoes and an overcoat and washing and disinfecting hands when entering the greenhouse.
Insects
Some insects carry diseases. It is known that certain thrips transmit viruses. In growing Phalaenopsis oribatids are notorious for distributing Acidovorax (Pseudomonas). By piercing the leaves the infection can be spread from plant to plant. In addition to the damage caused by these insects themselves, the spread of diseases is a major reason to keep these insects out of the door and, if necessary, to fight them.
Plant material
Diseases (and pests) can also come into the greenhouse with young plants. A solid entry check is therefore essential.
Water
Spores in the air can be watered down through watering. Splashing water can transfer contamination from one plant to another plant. This can be prevented by adding a bacteria slaying agent to the water, such as chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide or by using copper ionization.
Hygiene Protocol
It is good to draw up a hygiene protocol for better hygiene in a nursery. Asking yourself questions like: who comes into the greenhouse? Where does plant material enter the greenhouse from? etc. helps in minimizing the risk of contamination.
Basic measures
- A number of measures can and should be taken at all times:
- Limit movements in the crop by people to the necessary minimum
- Determine the time of watering
- People from outside should always wear over clothes
- When entering the greenhouse hands should always be washed and decontaminated
- Touching plants should be avoided.
Disinfecting hands and shoes
You should know that disinfectants will not work sufficiently when the surface is too dirty. Therefore, wash the surface first before disinfecting. For personnel it is better to wear company work shoes or boots in the greenhouse. By cleaning shoes first, the disinfectant in the disinfection mats or bins remains effective longer.
Disinfectants
For the selection of the proper disinfecting products, it is important to determine against which disease/pest it must work. It must also be determined whether it is safe for employees and if there is sufficient time for the agent to disintegrate before consumption.
Disease resistance of the plant
A healthy crop will be less likely to get sick than a weak crop. In addition, a higher disease pressure will also increase the likelihood of a contamination. Also, stress during the cultivation, such as very high or low air temperature lowers the resistance of the plant. In such a situation a grower can choose to preventively reduce the disease pressure. This can be done with a chemical agent, but there is also an ever wider choice of biological resources and plant builders.
Barrier method
Hygiene can be divided into two parts:
1.On entering the greenhouse
2.Inside the greenhouse
With such a subdivision you come to the "barrier method" where the greenhouse will be divided into a smaller area or various (small) areas. The boundary between such areas is a barrier. Barriers reduce the risk of infections for the company considerably. The first barrier is mainly to ensure that the fungus, bacterium or pest is kept out of the greenhouse. The following barriers can be used in order to limit the spread of diseases/pests within the company.
Creating barriers
Barriers are designed from the inside out, or from clean to dirty. This also means a fixed working direction. Working from young to older plant material and / or disease-free to infected plants will reduce the likelihood that healthy plant material is infected. Working within the barrier with infected plants or oldest plants will be carried out at the end of the week. By starting at the beginning of the week with clean clothes / equipment will limit the spreading.
Work within each barrier as much as possible with own materials and people. If there is contact with plant juices or working activities such as sampling or monitoring of the plant between different barriers, work with plastic gloves and change them between the barriers.
It is advisable to make barriers visible to indicate where a barrier begins and ends, and what measures are expected. Between each barrier, it must be clear to everyone which hygiene measures are required. The barriers can be indicated by foil, screens, or a partition.
Additional barrier
Screen a significant source of infection with foil, such as plants that may have an infection or a place where fall out has occurred. This counts for each bed, table or an old infection source where diseased plants have been removed. Perform work as much as possible first in the clean areas and last in the contaminated areas. Wash and disinfect hands, feet and clothing, when necessary.
Monitoring
Start the search ALWAYS for diseases/ pests from ’young' and 'clean' to 'old' and 'dirty' plants. Observe the barrier method:
•Put contaminated plants right away in a plastic bag that is closed immediately.
•Hold the plants just below the tables and immediately take the diseased plants to a container that is outside,
•Spray the immediate vicinity of the diseased plants immediately after the removal using a suitable disinfectant such as JET-5, or hydrogen peroxide in the prescribed concentration.
For more information:
Anthura
www.anthura.nl